Fire Dept.
Toy Drive – The department is collecting toys at all three fire stations through Dec. 24 in support of the Spark of Love Toy Drive. As part of the greater Southern California campaign, new, unwrapped toys and sports equipment are being collected for under-served children and teens in and around Culver City. Donations are accepted at:
- Station 1 – 9660 Culver Blvd.
- Station 2 – 11252 Washington Blvd.
- Station 3 – 6030 Bristol Pky.
For additional donation options, see the Spark of Love Toy Drive website.
Emergency Operations Center – The city conducted an advanced tabletop emergency operations center exercise. Forty employees attended the four-hour training to demonstrate their understanding of their responsibilities/ functions and practice support operations. This annual training helps to prepare city staff to provide information, deliver essential resources, and make policy decisions in the event of a disaster.
Hosting Training – The department hosted the state Firefighters Assn. Burn Trailer. The department assisted in providing instruction to 100 County area fire department explorers, reserves and new recruits. Training included situational awareness and fire attack as well as ventilation operations, firefighter survival, and forcible entry techniques.
Parks, Recreation and Community Services Dept.
Winter Wonderland Camp – Camp is fast approaching, starting with Week One, Dec. 19-23. The field trip for that week is Mulligans Family Fun Center. A luau is planned for that Friday. Week Two, Dec. 26-30, campers will travel into space at the California Science Center. Participants will party it up on Friday with a pre-New Year’s Eve Party with karaoke. Camp costs $135 per week for Culver City residents, $166 for non-residents. 310.253-6650.
After-School Recreation – After-school sites will be Dec. 19-30.
Rental Operation – The Rental Office for the Vets Auditorium will be closed on Monday, Dec. 26 and Monday, Jan. 2. In January, it will be open Tuesdays and Wednesdays until 7:30.
Parks Division – After rain delays and the Thanksgiving holiday, the Syd Kronenthal Playground Project is back in progress, with the contractor on the job. Old equipment was demolished, and the old rubber surfacing excavated. The project is on track to be completed, inspected and reopened before the end of the year.
Performing Arts Grant – The Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre presents “Snowed Under,” a contemporary dance performance at the Helms Bakery District on Saturday evening at 7. A special Culver City resident admission price is available. http://www.heididuckler.org/snowed-under/.
Police Dept.
Explorer Graduation – Chief Bixby, Capt. Iizuka and Sgt. Sukal attended the Police Explorer graduation ceremony at the County Sheriff’s Dept. Training Center Academy in Whittier. Matheus Dos Santos, Enrique Delgado, and Daniel Acevedo attended the 18-week academy. They completed all aspects of the training, academic work, physical fitness training, defensive tactics, firearms safety and familiarization, and drills.
Public Works Dept.
Conservation Target – Golden State Water Co. implemented water conservation standards to align with the emergency regulations the state Water Board set in May. These new voluntary standards replaced the previous mandatory standards that were in place when drought conditions were more serious statewide. Golden State’s standards were developed based on supply and usage data and the assumption that the region would experience three additional years of drought. In July, Culver City was given a water consumption reduction target of 16 percent. By October, the city successfully had met this goal. Residents and the community adhered to alternating lawn watering schedules and only watered before 8 a.m. or after 7 p.m. In addition, many residents have implemented water saving measures, such as drought tolerant landscaping and water conserving appliances, to help the city achieve its water conservation goals.
Slurry Seal and Striping on Duquesne — Due to cooler temperatures, the slurry seal and striping project on Duquesne Avenue from Culver Boulevard to Lucerne Avenue will be postponed. The rubberized slurry seal the city plans to use for the project requires warmer pavement temperatures for successful application. Therefore, the project will be postponed to a date when the weather is warmer.
Transportation Dept.
Holiday Schedule — Since Christmas and New Year fall on Sunday, Culver CityBus will operate weekend service on Lines 1, 3 and 6 on Sunday, Dec. 25 and Sunday, Jan. 1. www.culvercitybus.com.
Culver CityBus Change – The Rapid 6 Short Line service will be temporarily discontinued due to the UCLA winter break. The UCLA school session will end on Friday and resume on Jan. 9. The short line will not operate from Dec. 12 through Jan. 6. This will not impact the schedule of Local 6 and regular Rapid 6 services. www.culvercitybus.com.
Mr. Nachbar, the city manager, may be contacted at john.nachbar@culvercity.org